Blackburn: St Andrew, Livesey
Overview
Grid reference: SD 670 258
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
6-bay nave, 2-bay polygonal chancel, transepts and short north tower off the chancel, north and south vestry, south-west porch. Basement with boiler room the full length of the church.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 30m x 13m (96ft x 42ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
In the 19th century Blackburn rapidly expanded for the textile industry, as with most Lancashire towns. The parish church was built in 1877 by the respected architect Paley to serve the new housing being built around it as Blackburn expanded south and west up the slopes, indeed the church is built into a pronounced west-east slope. The tower was never completed to its intended height. A south vestry was added in 1926.
Exterior Description
The architectural style chosen for this church is a simple pointed lancet style, generally employed in pairs, with some Early Decorated tracery. The short stumpy tower and the low-pitched nave and lower and narrower chancel roofs combine to make the church very compact, with a definite French feel.
The south elevation of the church is the easiest to appreciate. Each bay of the nave has paired lancets with hoodmoulds without stops, and there are two of these in the south face of the gabled transept, with a large round window in the gable above containing seven quatrefoils. The transept has diagonal buttresses. The 2-stage tower with pyramid roof has clasping buttresses, and two string courses defining the belfry stage. This is pierced by a single asymmetrically placed pointed window in each wall, while the west buttress contains the stairs and has slit lights in each stage.
At the bottom of the tower a pointed moulded doorway with abaci and head stops gives access. There is a similar doorway in the small gabled porch. There is a (recently repaired) flat-roofed vestry with a moulded parapet in the angle of tower and chancel, with simple paired lancets in the east and north walls and a doorway in the west. A 2-light window of paired lancets can be seen above the roof of this later addition.
The north elevation is simpler. There is a vestry with an east-sloping roof, which leans onto the north transept. The vestry east wall is pierced by two short paired lancet windows. The transept is gabled and has diagonal buttresses of two weatherings, and fenestration as in its partner to the south.
The nave west wall has two long 2-lights with early Decorated tracery, while the chancel has 2-light pointed windows with Decorated tracery in the canted side walls and the east wall. They have hoodmoulds with block stops. There are iron finial crosses at each end, a stone cross at the east end of the nave has been lost.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 6-bay
Chancel
19th century 2-bay polygonal
Transept
19th century north and south
Tower (component)
19th century short, north
Vestry
19th century north and south
Porch
19th century south west
Basement
19th century
Boiler Room
19th century in the basement
Building Materials
Sandstone
19th century coursed rubble
Stone
19th century freestone dressings
Timber
19th century roof structure
Slate
19th century roofing
Clay
19th century ridge tiles
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside, the church is whitewashed and in very good condition. It is pretty much as it must always have been, with bench pews set collegiate-wise in the chancel to form choir stalls, and a High altar. The south transept is a baptistery with the font at its centre. There is a gilded wrought iron chancel screen. The pointed chancel arch is of two orders, the inner moulded and taken down to trumpet consoles; it has a hoodmould with head corbels. The doorway to the tower space is 4-centred, of two orders which die into the walls. The tower space is used as a creche.
Moulded corbels support a complex false hammer-beam open timber roof to the nave, with a coffered ceiling painted blue between the ribs in the chancel. The organ pipes are displayed in the chancel south wall. The floors are of encaustic tiles in the chancel and porch, stone flags elsewhere, much under carpet.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Oak chest with blind tracery carving.
Reredos
19th century Tripartite oak panelling under the east window.
Pulpit
19th century The pulpit is of dark-stained oak, hexagonal with carved panels with tracery.
Lectern
19th century Wooden reading stand.
Font (component)
19th century Stone circular font with carved quatrefoil pod stem and carved bowl, ornate oak conical cover with pinnacles.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century In the chancel side windows: SS John and James by Clayton & Bell, c1890, dedicated to Bishop James Fraser of Manchester to south. Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene to north, different artist. 1 in the north aisle with SS Peter and Andrew, c1920, 1 modern abstract window in the south aisle. Cathedral glass in the other windows.
Inscribed Object
19th century Marble shield on square black field commemorating the gift of 500 pounds by the Rev H Elwell. Rectangular tablet in same style to Fred Walsh died 1897. Pointed white marble tablet on black field to Thomas Beckett Entwhistle, died 1896 and his daughter Nancy Helen died 1898.
Organ (component)
19th century Large 2 manual organ by Bishop of London, 1880.
Rail
20th century Carved oak rail with tracery, early 20th century.
Panel
20th century Large cruciform brass panel to the fallen in World War I.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 670 258
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Quinquennial Inspections
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